Medical instrument having a balloon and an extraction member
A medical instrument may include a tube, a sheath provided around and coaxial with the tube, and an inflatable balloon at a distal end of the sheath. The balloon may receive a fluid from a lumen of the sheath, and may have a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, and into which the tube extends, a proximal portion, a middle portion adjacent to and distal of the proximal portion, and a distal portion adjacent to and proximal of the middle portion. When the balloon is inflated with the fluid, a maximum diameter of the middle portion may be less than a maximum diameter of the proximal portion, and less than a maximum diameter of the distal portion. The medical instrument may also include an extraction member provided at a distal end of the tube, distal to the balloon, and movable axially relative to the balloon.
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This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/006,793, filed on Apr. 8, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure relates generally to a medical instrument having a balloon and an extraction member. In examples, this disclosure is directed to a medical instrument and a related method for removing material from a subject using a dilation balloon and an extraction member.
BACKGROUNDDuring an endoscopic procedure to treat biliary lithiasis, such as a biliary endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) procedure, operators may encounter problems when removing a material, such as a stone, from a bile duct of a subject. Operators often need to use many different types of devices during such procedures, particularly if the material proves difficult to remove. For example, extraction of a relatively large stone from the bile duct may be problematic when the size of the stone exceeds a size of the ampulla, which can inhibit extraction or cause complications during extraction. A biliary ES procedure may involve cutting of a biliary sphincter and an intraduodenal segment of a common bile duct of a subject, following selective cannulation, using a high frequency current applied with a special knife, or a sphincterotome, inserted into a papilla. An ES procedure thus may require multiple devices and exchanging of the multiple devices throughout the ES procedure. In addition, complications may arise during or as a result of the ES procedure, including damage to a sphincter mechanism of the subject.
SUMMARYAspects of the disclosure relate to, among other things, a medical instrument for removing a material from a subject using a dilation balloon and an extraction member, and a related method. Each of the aspects disclosed herein may include one or more of the features described in connection with any of the other disclosed aspects.
According to an example, a medical instrument includes a tube, a sheath provided around the tube and coaxial with the tube, and an inflatable balloon provided at a distal end of the sheath. The balloon is configured to receive a fluid from a lumen of the sheath, and has a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, and into which the tube extends, a proximal portion, a middle portion adjacent to and distal of the proximal portion, and a distal portion adjacent to and distal of the middle portion. In response to inflation, a maximum diameter of the middle portion is less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the proximal portion, and is less than a maximum diameter of the distal portion. The medical instrument also includes an extraction member provided at a distal end of the tube, distal to the balloon, and movable axially relative to the balloon.
Any of the medical devices described herein may also include one or more of the following features. A distal end of the sheath may be positioned within the central opening of the balloon. The extraction member may have a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, into which the tube extends. The extraction member may be one of a balloon, configured to receive a fluid from a lumen of the tube, and a net. The proximal portion of the balloon may include a proximal tapered portion. The proximal portion of the balloon may include a spherical distal portion and a proximal tapered portion. The distal portion of the balloon may be cylindrical with respect to a longitudinal axis thereof. The distal portion of the balloon may be spherical with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof. The maximum diameter of the proximal portion may be equal to the maximum diameter of the middle portion of the balloon. The maximum diameter of the proximal portion may be less than the maximum diameter of the distal portion of the balloon. A length of the proximal portion of the balloon may be greater than each of a length of the distal portion and a length of the middle portion of the balloon, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the balloon, and the length of the middle portion may be less than or equal to the length of the distal portion. The tube may include a distal opening, and a lumen of the tube may be configured to receive a guidewire that can extend past the distal opening of the tube. A distal facing surface of the distal portion of the balloon may be concave. A distal facing surface of the distal portion of the balloon may define a recess extending radially inward and proximally toward the middle portion of the balloon. The recess may extend proximally to a depth that is less than or equal to one-half of a longitudinal length of the distal portion of the balloon.
According to another example, a medical instrument includes a tube, a sheath provided around the tube and coaxial with the tube, and a balloon provided at a distal end of the sheath. The balloon is configured to be inflated via a lumen of the sheath, and has a distal facing concave surface. In response to inflation, the balloon has an hourglass shape. The medical instrument also includes an extraction member provided at the distal end of the tube, distal to the balloon.
Any of the medical devices described herein may also include one or more of the following features. The hourglass shape may be defined by a proximal bulb portion, a middle neck portion, and a distal bulb portion. The distal surface of the distal bulb portion of the balloon may define a recess extending radially inward and proximally toward the proximal bulb portion of the balloon, the recess being configured to house a biliary stone.
According to still another example, a method of removing material from a subject includes advancing a device into a lumen of the subject, the device including a tube, a sheath provided around the tube and coaxial with the tube, and a dilation balloon provided at a distal end of the device. The dilation balloon has a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, the central opening receiving the tube, a proximal portion, a middle portion adjacent to and distal of the proximal portion, and a distal portion adjacent to and distal of the middle portion. The devices also includes an extraction member provided at a distal end of the tube, and distal of the dilation balloon. The method further includes positioning the extraction member distally of the material, positioning the dilation balloon proximally of the material, inflating the dilation balloon so that a maximum diameter of the middle portion of the dilation balloon is less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the proximal portion of the dilation balloon, and less than a maximum diameter of the distal portion of the balloon, and pulling at least the extraction member proximally to pull the material proximally.
Any of the methods described herein may also include one or more of the following features. The extraction member may include an extraction balloon. In addition, the method may further include inflating the extraction balloon before or after the inflating of the dilation balloon.
It may be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate examples of the disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
It may be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “includes,” “has,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. The term “exemplary” is used in the sense of “example,” rather than “ideal.” As used herein, the terms “proximal” or “proximally” mean a direction closer to an operator, and the terms “distal” or “distally” mean a direction further from an operator. As used herein, the terms “about,” “substantially,” and “approximately,” indicate a range of values within +/−10% of a stated value. Although endoscopes and endoscopic procedures are referenced herein, references to endoscopes and endoscopic procedures should not be construed as limiting the possible applications of the disclosed medical instruments and other aspects, and the disclosed medical instruments and portions thereof may be used as portions of other types of medical devices and in other types of medical procedures.
As an alternative to an ES procedure described above, an endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) procedure may be performed, which may minimize complications and preserve the sphincter mechanism. For example, as shown in
To remove the material 10 from the bile duct 12, the extraction member 30 is pulled proximally, i.e., trawled, through the bile duct 12. During this process, in a case in which the extraction member 30 is a balloon, a force needed to pull the material 10 out of the bile duct 12 may cause the extraction balloon 30 to burst. In addition, in a case in which the bile duct 12 of the subject is a “sigmoid” bile duct, e.g. curved or crescent-shaped, the medical instrument 14 may require torqueing by an operator performing the procedure, which requires additional strength and endurance on the part of the operator, and increases aggravation to the bile duct 12 and other lumens of the subject.
In order to reduce the force needed to pull the material 10 out of the bile duct 12, and thus reduce the risk of bursting of the extraction balloon 30, a lumen on a proximal side of the material 10 may be dilated. To that end, an additional instrument may be needed, including an additional lumen or sheath and a dilation balloon at a distal end thereof. The dilation balloon is positioned on a proximal side of the material 10 within the bile duct 12. In order to remove the material 10 while preserving the sphincter mechanism, the extraction member 30 and the dilation balloon may be moved simultaneously in the proximal direction.
Problems may arise, however, when multiple devices or instruments are needed to trawl the bile duct 12 and to dilate the ampulla of Vater 22. For example, the instruments may become tangled during insertion or exchanging thereof. Further, as the instruments are exchanged or moved relative to each other, the guidewire 24 may move, and, as a result, the operator may lose access to the bile duct 12, requiring recannulation. This process may cause additional aggravation of the ampulla of Vater of the subject. Further, the use of multiple instruments increases a cost of the endoscopic procedure, as well as the time needed to complete the endoscopic procedure. The increased time needed to complete the endoscopic procedure, in turn, may increase the invasiveness of the procedure, the aggravation to the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, and a risk to the subject for infection or injury.
Distally of the handle 54, as shown in
With reference to
The medical instrument 32 may have a length, from the proximal end 52 to the distal tip 50, of approximately 220 cm, for example. The length of the medical instrument 32 is not, however, limited to this value, and may vary within a range of approximately 200 cm to 240 cm. The tube 40 of the medical instrument 32 may have a length of approximately 220 cm and a diameter of approximately 3.0 mm. The length and the diameter of the tube 40 are not, however, limited to these values, and may vary within a range of approximately 200 cm to 240 cm and a range of approximately 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm, respectively. The tube 40 may be formed of a material, such as PEBAX®, for example. The material that forms the tube 40, is not, however, limited to PEBAX®, and may be any one of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), nylon, Cristamid, Grilamid®, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Zytel®, Rilsan®, or Vestamid®. In addition, semi-compliant materials may be used, including, for example, ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), olefin copolymers or homopolymers, polyethylenes, polyurethanes, cross-linked low density polyethylenes (PETs), highly irradiated linear low density polyethylene (LDPE), acrylonitrile polymers and copolymers, acrylonitrile blends and ionomer resins. Examples of non-compliant materials include polyethylene terephthalates, polyacrylenesulfide, and copolyesters. Still further, other examples of the material include Poly(Styrene-Isobutylene-Styrene) Tri-block polymer (SIBS), polyurethane, an elastic polymer, woven fabric, a multi-walled membrane of polymer, and combinations thereof.
The sheath 42 of the medical instrument 32 may have a length of approximately 165 cm and a diameter of approximately 3.0 mm. The length and the diameter of the sheath 42 are not, however, limited to these values, and may vary within the ranges of approximately 145 cm to 185 cm and approximately 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm, respectively. The sheath 42 may be formed of a material, such as PEBAX®. The material that forms the sheath 42, is not, however, limited to PEBAX®, and may be any one of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), nylon, Cristamid, Grilamid®, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Zytel®, Rilsan®, or Vestamid®. In addition, semi-compliant materials may be used, including, for example, ethylene-vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), olefin copolymers or homopolymers, polyethylenes, polyurethanes, cross-linked low density polyethylenes (PETs), highly irradiated linear low density polyethylene (LDPE), acrylonitrile polymers and copolymers, acrylonitrile blends and ionomer resins. Examples of non-compliant materials include polyethylene terephthalates, polyacrylenesulfide, and copolyesters. Still further, other examples of the material include Poly(Styrene-Isobutylene-Styrene) Tri-block polymer (SIBS), polyurethane, an elastic polymer, woven fabric, a multi-walled membrane of polymer, and combinations thereof.
In the embodiment shown in
The distal portion 82 of the dilation balloon has a distal facing surface 86, into which the material 10 may be moved when the medical instrument 32 is in use. In the embodiment shown in
The dilation balloon 44 may be formed of nylon, for example. The material that forms the dilation balloon 44 is not, however, limited to nylon, and may be other materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PEBAX®, or another suitable material. As noted above, the dilation balloon 44 may have varying shapes and diameters between the proximal neck 76, the proximal portion 78, the middle portion 80, the distal portion 82, and the distal neck 84, and may be formed using free forming. Other techniques may, however, be used to form the dilation balloon 44, such as stretch blowing, extruded blow molding. The dilation balloon 44 may be formed of a compliant material or a noncompliant material. Details of the varying shapes and diameters of the dilation balloon 44 are described in more detail below, with reference to
With reference to
In the case in which the extraction member 46 is a balloon, the extraction member 46 may be formed of nylon, for example. The material that forms the extraction member 46 is not, however, limited to nylon, and may be other materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PEBAX®, or another suitable material. As noted above, the extraction member 46, as a balloon, may have an ovoid shape and particular diameters of the proximal neck 98, the middle portion 100, and the distal neck 102, and may be formed using free forming. Other techniques may, however, be used to form the extraction member 46, such as stretch blowing, extruded blow molding. The extraction member 46, as a balloon, may be formed of a compliant material or a noncompliant material.
With reference to
As shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Similarly to the dilation balloon 44 of the embodiment shown in
In contrast to the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Similarly to the dilation balloon 44 and the dilation balloon 114 of the embodiments shown in
In addition, similarly to the embedment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Then, in step 804, the extraction member 46, here, a balloon, is positioned beyond a distal side of the material 10, as shown in
Then, the treatment portion 38 (including the extraction member 46 and the dilation balloon 44) may be withdrawn from bile duct 12. In an embodiment, the duodenoscope 16 and the instrument 32 may then be removed together from the subject. In another embodiment, all or a portion of instrument 32 may be pulled back into the duodenoscope 16 through the distal opening 20, and the medical instrument 32, including the removed material 10, may then be removed from the subject.
Although the method 800 is described as including steps 802 to 810, the method 800 may include additional steps. For example, the method 800 may include a step of cannulating the bile duct 12 and positioning the guidewire 48 therein, advancing the medical instrument 32 into the duodenum 18 until the distal tip 50 of the medical instrument 32 is positioned against the ampulla of Vater 22, and advancing the treatment portion 38 over the guidewire 48 into the bile duct, before performing the step 804 of positioning the extraction member 46 on a distal side of the material 10.
In addition, in a case in which the extraction member 46 is a balloon, the method 800 may also include an additional step of inflating the extraction member 46. The step of inflating the extraction member 46 may be performed after step 804, in which the extraction member 46 is positioned beyond the distal side of the material, before, at the same time as, or after step 808, in which the dilation balloon 44 is inflated. The method 800 may also include a step of withdrawing the material 10, sandwiched between the inflated extraction member 46 and the inflated dilation balloon 44, from the bile duct 12 and into the duodenum 18. The method 800 may also include a step of deflating the extraction member 46 and the dilation balloon 44, before withdrawing the material 10 into the duodenum 18.
In addition, in a case in which the material 10 is particularly difficult to move using the steps of the method 800 noted above, in an alternative embodiment, the method 800 may further include a step of deflating the dilation balloon 44, a step of moving the dilation balloon 44 proximally within the bile duct 12, and a step of then reinflating the dilation balloon 44. Then, the extraction member 46 may be pulled proximally to move the material 10 towards the dilation balloon 44. These steps may be repeated until the material 10 becomes free-moving or has been removed from the bile duct 12.
In an alternative embodiment, the dilation balloon 44 and the extraction member 46 may be expanded, or inflated, and moved simultaneously.
In another alternative embodiment, the method 800 may include a step of injecting contrast into the bile duct 12 via the contrast port 58 and the contrast lumen 108, to provide a fluoroscopic image of the material 10, as well as duct dimensions and complexity. In this alternative embodiment, the contrast may be injected before or after step 804, in which the extraction member 46 is positioned on a distal side of the material 10.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the method 800 may include a step of confirming a position of the dilation balloon 44 within the bile duct 12 using the marker bands 88 and 90. That is, the marker bands 88 and 90 may be used to confirm that middle portion 80 of the dilation balloon 44 is at least positioned within the ampulla of Vater 22, and the distal portion 82 of the dilation balloon 44 is at least positioned within the bile duct 12. The step of confirming the position of at least the middle portion 80 and the distal portion 82 of the dilation balloon 44 may be performed before the step 808 of inflating the dilation balloon 44.
In still another alternative embodiment, the method 800 may include an additional step, after inflating a dilation balloon 148 to a first or initial inflated diameter D148_1 in step 808, of inflating the dilation balloon 148 to a second, or subsequent inflated diameter D148_2, as shown in
In addition, in another alternative embodiment, the extraction member 46 may be an extraction net 152, as shown in
In yet another alternative embodiment, the dilation balloon may be formed of a sponge material, i.e., may be a dilation sponge. In this alternative embodiment, the dilation sponge may be contained within the sheath 40 until the medical instrument 32 is positioned within the bile duct 12. Then, the dilation sponge may be deployed, i.e., extended outside of the sheath 40, and may expand and dilate the bile duct 12. The dilation sponge may function in the same manner as that of the dilation balloon 44 described above, in that, during extraction of the material 10 from the bile duct 12, the dilation sponge dilates the bile duct 12 and the ampulla of Vater 22.
In addition, in another alternative embodiment, a dilation balloon 154 may be provided with a recess 156 in a distal facing surface 158 of the dilation balloon 154, as shown in
In a modification of the embodiment described with respect to
Although the medical instrument 32 is described as being used during an endoscopic procedure, the medical instrument 32 may be used in other medical procedures, such as a procedure to remove a kidney stone, for example.
By virtue of the medical instrument 32 of this disclosure, a material 10 can be safely and securely removed from a bile duct 12 of a subject, while preventing trauma to walls of the bile duct 12. The extraction member 46 and the dilation balloon 44 serve to trap the material 10 therebetween, preventing scraping or tearing of the walls of the bile duct 12 by the material 10.
The dilation balloon 44 of the embodiment shown in
The dilation balloon 114 of the embodiment shown in
In addition, the dilation balloon 132 of the embodiment shown in
In addition, by virtue of positioning and inflating the dilation balloon 44 of the medical instrument 32, as described herein, a lumen on a proximal side of a material 10 can be increased or dilated in a controlled manner, thereby reducing a force needed to pull the material 10 out of the bile duct 12, and, in turn, reducing a risk of the extraction member 46 bursting, in the case in which the extraction member 46 is a balloon. The hourglass shape of the dilation balloon 44 provides for smooth stretching of the bile duct 12 and/or the ampulla of Vater 22 during the endoscopic procedure, and, in particular, during withdrawal of the material 10. In addition, in a case in which the bile duct 12 of the subject is a “sigmoid” bile duct, e.g. curved or crescent-shaped, the dilation balloon 44 dilates the bile duct 12, reducing the need for torqueing by an operator performing the procedure.
Also, by virtue of the medical instrument 32 and the related method 800 described herein, a single device is provided for use during an endoscopic procedure, such as an EPBD. As a result, the problems associated with using multiple devices, including tangling of the devices during insertion or exchanging thereof, loss of positioning of the guidewire, increased costs associated with the procedure, increased time needed to complete the procedure, increased invasiveness and aggravation of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, and increased risk to the subject for infection or injury, can be eliminated and/or reduced.
While principles of the disclosure are described herein with reference to illustrative examples for particular applications, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and substitution of equivalents all fall within the scope of the examples described herein. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description.
Claims
1. A medical instrument comprising:
- a tube;
- a sheath provided around the tube and coaxial with the tube;
- an inflatable balloon provided at a distal end of the sheath, the balloon being configured to receive a fluid from a lumen of the sheath, and the balloon having: a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, and into which the tube extends; a proximal portion; a middle portion adjacent to and distal of the proximal portion; and a distal portion adjacent to and distal of the middle portion, the distal portion including a planar distal-facing surface and a distal neck distal of and perpendicular to the distal-facing surface, wherein, in response to inflation, a maximum diameter of the middle portion is less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the proximal portion, and is less than a maximum diameter of the distal portion; and
- an extraction member provided at a distal end of the tube, distal to the balloon, and movable axially relative to the balloon.
2. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the sheath is positioned within the central opening of the balloon.
3. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the extraction member has a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, into which the tube extends.
4. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the extraction member is one of:
- a balloon, configured to receive a fluid from a lumen of the tube; and
- a net.
5. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the balloon includes a proximal tapered portion.
6. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the balloon includes a spherical distal portion and a proximal tapered portion.
7. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the balloon is cylindrical with respect to a longitudinal axis thereof.
8. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the balloon has a portion having a shape of at least part of a sphere.
9. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the maximum diameter of the proximal portion is equal to the maximum diameter of the middle portion of the balloon.
10. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the maximum outer diameter of the proximal portion is less than the maximum outer diameter of the distal portion of the balloon.
11. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein a length of the proximal portion of the balloon is greater than each of a length of the distal portion and a length of the middle portion of the balloon, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the balloon, and the length of the middle portion is less than or equal to the length of the distal portion.
12. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the tube includes a distal opening, and a lumen of the tube is configured to receive a guidewire that can extend past the distal opening of the tube.
13. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the middle portion defines a curved biconcave profile.
14. The medical instrument of claim 13, wherein a maximum diameter of the proximal portion is greater than a maximum diameter of the distal portion, wherein the maximum diameter of the distal portion is greater than a minimum diameter of the middle portion.
15. The medical instrument of claim 13, wherein a maximum diameter of the distal portion is greater than a maximum diameter of the proximal portion, wherein the maximum diameter of the proximal portion is greater than a minimum diameter of the middle portion.
16. A medical instrument comprising:
- a tube;
- a sheath provided around the tube and coaxial with the tube;
- a balloon provided at a distal end of the sheath and having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the balloon being configured to be inflated via a lumen of the sheath, the balloon including a distal-facing concave surface and a distal neck extending distally from a radially inward edge of the distal-facing concave surface, wherein the distal neck extends proximally of a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and positioned at a most distal point of the distal-facing concave surface, wherein, in response to inflation, the balloon has an hourglass shape; and
- an extraction member provided at the distal end of the tube, distal to the balloon.
17. The medical instrument of claim 16, wherein the hourglass shape is defined by a proximal bulb portion, a middle neck portion, and a distal bulb portion.
18. The medical instrument of claim 17, wherein the distal surface of the distal bulb portion of the balloon defines a recess extending radially inward and proximally toward the proximal bulb portion of the balloon, the recess being configured to house a biliary stone.
19. A method of removing material from a subject, the method comprising:
- advancing a device into a lumen of the subject, the device including: a tube; a sheath provided around the tube and coaxial with the tube; a dilation balloon provided at a distal end of the device, the dilation balloon having: a central opening along a longitudinal axis thereof, the central opening receiving the tube; a proximal portion; a middle portion adjacent to and distal of the proximal portion; and a distal portion adjacent to and distal of the middle portion, the distal portion having a distal-facing concave surface; and an extraction member provided at a distal end of the tube, and distal of the dilation balloon;
- positioning the extraction member distally of the material;
- positioning the dilation balloon proximally of the material;
- inflating the dilation balloon so that a maximum diameter of the middle portion of the dilation balloon is less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the proximal portion of the dilation balloon, and less than a maximum diameter of the distal portion of the balloon
- pulling at least the extraction member proximally to pull the material proximally; and
- capturing the material within the distal-facing concave surface while the dilation balloon is inflated.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the extraction member includes an extraction balloon, and the method further comprises inflating the extraction balloon before or after the inflating of the dilation balloon
- wherein the dilation balloon includes a first marker band positioned between the distal portion and the middle portion and a second marker band positioned between the proximal portion and the middle portion, and the method further comprising: using the first marker band and the second marker band to confirm that the distal portion is positioned within a bile duct.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 6, 2021
Date of Patent: Oct 3, 2023
Patent Publication Number: 20210315595
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Maple Grove, MN)
Inventors: Richard Crawford (Athenry), Martin Lawrence Fawdry (Galway), Louis McNern (Killybegs), Aiden Flanagan (Kilcolgan), Matthew Montague (Oranmore), Geraldine Alice Toner (Lifford), Enda Connaughton (Craughwell), Gary Gilmartin (Foxford)
Primary Examiner: Jocelin C Tanner
Application Number: 17/223,805